The reporter learned from the China Manned Space Engineering office that according to the plan, tiangong-2 space laboratory has completed all expansion tests. It is planned to select an aircraft to be controlled off orbit and re-enter the atmosphere on July 19 Beijing time. A small amount of debris will fall into the predetermined safe waters of the South Pacific at 160 ~ 90 degrees west longitude and 30 ~ 45 degrees south latitude.
Tiangong-2 space laboratory was launched into orbit on September 15, 2016, with a designed on orbit life of two years. Up to now, it has flown in orbit for more than 1000 days, the platform and load functions are normal and in good condition, and all preparations for controlled re-entry into the atmosphere are progressing steadily according to the scheduled plan. After the tiangong-2 re-entry into the atmosphere, China will release information and inform the outside world in a timely manner, and firmly fulfill the international obligations of a responsible big country.
It is understood that tiangong-2 space laboratory is improved and developed on the basis of Tiangong-1 backup target aircraft. It is composed of an experimental module and a resource module, with a total length of 10.4 meters, a maximum diameter of 3.35 meters, a wingspan width of about 18.4 meters after the deployment of the solar sail, and a takeoff weight of about 8.6 tons. It has the functions of rendezvous and docking with Shenzhou manned spacecraft and Tianzhou cargo spacecraft, and the implementation of propellant supplement in orbit Carry out important functions such as space scientific experiments and technical experiments.